Cloth-cutting machine.



E. W. BORTMAN. CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 1M. 18, 1917.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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. ilNETE@- TATES PATENT @FFEQE.

'EIVEANUEL W. BORTMAN, QF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WILIDMAN MFG. (10., OF NORRIS'I'OW'N, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EMANUEL W. BORT- 352.14, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Norristown, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth-Cutting Machines, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention relates to cloth cutting machines of the general type disclosed in Letters Fatent of the United States granted to me March 2nd, 1915, No. 1,130,369, and it concerns particularly an interconnected arrangement of a guard for the cutting knife and sharpener for said knife, whereby the operator by a simple manipulation of a controller member, can effect the removal of the guard from its position adjacent the cutting edge of the knife and also can throw the sharpener into action against said cut ting edge.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

v Figure 1 is a side view of so much of. a cloth cutting machine as is necessary for a clear understanding of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the guard for the cutting knife swung aside to inoperative position and with the grinder, or sharpener, moved into position to effect the sharpening of the cutting edge.

f Fig. 3 is a detail of the operating connection for the sharpener.

Fig. 'ri: is a detail View of the guard and means for controlling the same,this being a plan view with the guard represented in its inoperative position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation taken from the side opposite that represented in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus with parts in section.

Fig. 7 is a front View of the sharpener with its mounting and part of the mechanism for moving this sharpener to and from operative position.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View taken along the pivotal mounting of the sharpener. While I have shown my improvements in connection with the organization illustrated in the patent above referred to, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied with modified forms of the mechanism shown in said patent without departing from the underlying principles of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a rotary cutting knife suitably journaled in a standard, or frame, 2, extending up from the base 3, the said standard carrying an electric motor 4 for rotating the cutting knife. 5 indicates a handle extendii'ig rearwardly from a suitable bracket 5, depending from the upper frame-work of the machine. T he sharpener, shown generally at 6, may assume various forms, but in the particular construction illustrated it consists of two grinding disks 6 set at an inclination and adapted to contact with the edge of the cutting blade when thrown downwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 7, to that illustrated in Fig. A knife guard 'T'is adjustably secured to a bracket 8 by a clamp screw 9, passing through a slot 10 in the bar, and a rod-12 is connected with a projection 11 on this bracket, the said rod being slidably and pivotally mounted in ears 13, 14, depending from a bracket, or plate, 15 attached to the base of the motor. This rod carries at its rear end a finger piece 16 near the handle 5, so that it may be operated by a slight movement of the thumb of the right hand while grasping the handle of the machine. The guard bar may have a suitable presser foot, as at 17.

A spring 19 secured at one end to a collar 18 fixed to theboss 13 encircles rod 12 and has its other end fastened to a clutch member 20 carried by said rod. The ear or boss 1 1 carries a clutch member 21 arranged to engage with the clutch member 20, these parts forming a lock for the guard to hold it in its guarding position close to the knife. The lock provided by the members 20 and 21, is automatically set by the spring 19, forcing the member 20 axially to make its notch engage the tooth of the member 21. This spring also serves to automatically swing the guard laterally and upwardly when the lock is released. This release takes place when the operator, by pressing on the finger piece 16, forces the rod. 12 with the clutch member 20 axially to disengage said clutch member from the clutch member 21, whereupon the spring 19, exerting its force, will turn the shaft or rod 12 and swing the guard laterally away from the cutter and upwardly into the position indicated in Fig. 2. In order to restore the a guard to itsoperative position, the operator,

by pressing with his thumb downwardly upon the finger 16, will turn the rod 12 and swing the guard to its guardingposition and this having been done, the spring 19 will press the-rod 12 longitudinally and cause the clutch member 20 to snap into engagement with the clutch member 21.

The parts thus far described are substantially the same as those disclosed in the patent above referred to, and while my improvement is specially designed to cooperate with anorganization such as that described, it will be understood that thedetails of such organization, relating to the guard, may be varied within considerable limits.

The grinding disks have their spindles, or shaftsbearing in the arms of the bracket 23. This'bracket has ears 24L straddling a bearing 25 on an arm 26 extending from the standard, 2, and said ears are journaled on a pin or stud 26 mounted in the said bracket 23, so that the bracket may be turned on said pin to swing the grinding disks down to contact with the edge of the cutter. The pin, or stud, 26 affords a sup,-

f port for a bracket 27, one portion of which forms a housing for a pinion 28 and another portion of which affords a guiding bearing for a rack bar, or tooth member, 29, which engageswith the pinion. The pinion has connected therewith an arm 30, this being seated on the shouldered portion of the pinion and this arm carries a stud or pin 31 which contacts with a portion of the bracket 23, which carries the grinding disks. A spring 32 encircling the 'stud 26 has one end connected with the pivotally mounted bracket 23 and serve to normally retain the bracket with the grinding disks in their elevation position, illustrated in Figs. 1,5 and 7. This spring maybe adjusted as to-its tension by a collar 33 to which one end of the spring isv attached. The rack bar, or tooth member, 29 is operated to turn the pinion, together with the arm 30, and'thereby swing the bracket 23 with the grinding disks downwardly, by a rod 34 extending rearwardly and bent upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to connect with a finger lever 35 pivotally mounted at 36 on the underside of the motorframe. This finger lever extends in close proximity to the handle 5,'so that it may be readily operated by the forefinger of the operators hand which grasps the said handle, itbeing noted from Fig. 6 particularly,-whi'ch is a bottom plan view,-that the finger lever 35 is on theopposite side of the handle 5 from that upon whichthe finger lever 16 is located, so that. the opera-torcan manipulate the finger-le'ver'35 with the forefinger of his right hand, WVlllle Wlth his thumb he can, when desired, operate the fin- *ger lever 16 belonging to the guard organization.

In order, however, that by a single operation of the finger lever'35 both theguard and the sharpener may be operated,1 provide an extension 35 of the finger lever 35 to bear on a trip collar, or pin, 37 secured bya screw to the rod, or shaft, 12,.from which it will be seen that by operating the finger lever 35 the said shaft 12 will be moved longitudinally to release the clutch member 20 from'its companion member 21 and thereupon the spring 19 will turn the shaft 12'and swing the guard laterally and upwardly from its guard position to expose the edge of the knife, and further it will be understood that this samesaction of the fin- V ger lever 35 will draw upon the rod 34 and cause the rack 'bar to turn the pinion, thus swinging the arm 30 and causing its pin 31 to swing the bracket 23 downwardly and thereby 'bring the grinding disks 6 into contact with the cutting edge of the knife which is now exposed because, as abovestated, the

guard has been swung aside.

The grinding of the cutter will continue as long as the finger lever 35 is pressed. In practical use frequent grinding of the knife is desirable, though the periods of grinding maybe short. As soon as the fingerlever is released the spring 32 will raise the bracket '23, thus restoring theflgrinding wheels to their uppermost position and restoring the finger lever to its former position.

To restore the guard to its guarding position along s1de the cutter, the operator simply presses down on the'finger lever 16- and turns the rock shaft 12-, thereupon the spring 19 will set the clutch members to hold the guard in its position along side the knife.

It will be observed that while the guard and sharpener are both operated simultaneously when the finger lever 35' is pressed,

2'. e., the guard to inoperative position and "the sharpener to operative position, the guard may be operated independently of the sharpener to allow access to the knife- 'while -the' sharpener is in its elevated position.

'ing connections, namely, the rock shaft 1 2,

extends'along one side of the machine and the other operating connection, "including "the rod 34:, extends along the opposite side of the machine. The sharpener bracket is operated merely by the pressure from the pin 31 and it will be noticed that the sharpener bracket may be thrown down by hand without operating the finger lever.

I have also provided a finger lever 38 which is swiveled on the shank 39 of the handle 5, this fingerlever beingconnected through a rod 40 with any suitable form of electric switch contained in the casing 41. The finger lever is provided with wings 4.2 with a space between them for receiving the thumb by which the switch controlling lever may be rotated around the shank of the handle to control the switch, and this control can be exerted bv the thumb of the same hand which grasps the handle5.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutting knife, means for driving the same, a sharpener normally held away from the knife, a guard for the knife, manually operated means for displacing the guard to expose the knife edge and for simultaneously moving the sharpener to the said edge, and

means for operating the guard independently of the sharpener, substantially as described. V

2. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutting knife, means for driving the same, a sharpener normally held away from the knife, a guard for the knife, manually operated means for displacing the guard to expose the knife edge and for simultaneously moving the sharpener to the said edge, and a handle for guiding the machine, said manually operating means consisting of a member to be controlled by the operators finger and located adjacent the handle, and a finger piece adjacent the handle to operate the guard independently of the sharpener, substantially as described.

3. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutting knife, means for driving the same, a sharpener normally held away from the knife, a guard for the knife, a handle by which the machine is guided, a manually operable connection extending from a point near the handle for displacing the guard to expose the knife edge, a second manually operable connection extending from near the handle for throwing the sharpener against the knife edge, a part of one of said connections operating the other connection, said guard connection being operable from the handle independently of the sharpener connection, substantially as described.

4:. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutting knife, means for driving the same, a sharpener normally held away from the knife, a guard for the knife, a handle by which the machine is guided, means accessible to the hand of the operator which grasps the handle for operating both the guard and the sharpener substantially simultaneously, the said sharpener moving toward the knife and the guard moving away from the knife in said operation, and means adjacent the handle for operating said guard independently of the sharpener.

5. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter, a sharpener, a guard, a handle for guiding the machine, connections extending to a point adjacent the handle for operating the guard, a coimection extending to a point adjacent the handle for placing the sharpener against, or displacing it from the cutter, a finger piece for operating said connection, said sharpener operating connection serving to actuate the guard connection to displace the guard when the sharpener is moved toward the cutter, a separate finger piece for operating the guard connection, said finger piece with its guard connection being operable independently of the sharpener connection to reset the guard, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter, a handle for guiding the machine, a sharpener comprising a pivotal mounting, an arm pivotally mounted coaxially with the pivot of the sharpener mounting, means for rocking the arm operable from the handle of the machine, said arm imparting movement to the pivotal mounting of the sharpener and a spring for returning the sharpener mounting to elevated position, substantially as described.

7. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter, a sharpening device, a bracket pivotally mounted and carrying the sharpening device, an arm co-axially mounted with said pivoted bracket to operate the same, a rack and pinion for moving the arm, a pull rod connected with the rack and a finger lever for operating the pull rod, said bracket with the sharpening device being movable independently of said arm, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter, a guard arranged normally adjacent the edge of the cutter and displaceable laterally and upwardly in relation thereto, a handle for guiding the machine, a standard for supporting the motor and the cutter, a connection extending along one side of the standard for operating the guard, a sharpener to engage the knife edge nor mally in an elevated position and a connection extending along the other side of the standard for operating the sharpener to and from the cutter, a finger piece turning about a vertical pivot, said finger piece being connected to the sharpener connection and at another point engaging the guard connection for operating the same, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter, a guard for the cutter, a sharpener for the cutter, a handle for guiding the machine, a pivotally mounted finger lever located adjacent the handle, a connectionextending from said finger lever to the sharpener for operating the same, and a thumb lever located adjacent the handle with a connection therefrom for operating .the guard, said thumb lever being, on the opposite side'of the handle from the finger lever, said .pivotally mounted finger lever having an extension 'for operating the guard connection, snbstantially as described 10; In combination in a clothcutting, ma chine, a cutter, a 'guardftherefor, a sharpener for the cutter, a handle" for guiding the machine, a rock shaft extending, along one side of the machine and co1111ect'ed :with the guard for swinging thegsame laterally and upwardly or downwardly, and a pull rod extending along the opposite side of the machine and a finger lever for operating the pull -rod to set the sharpener and for controlling the rock shaft, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a cloth cutting machine, a cutter,- a sharpener, a guard, a rock shaft carrying the guard and'haVi-ng longitud'inal' movement, a clutch and spring 7 for holding the rock sl'i'aftjagainst' turning whenthe guard is adjacent the cutter, said spring being adapted to throw the guard into its uppermost position may from the knife when the shaft is pressed lengitudinally and the clutch isreleased, means for operatingfthe sharpener to throw to the knife, said means also effe'cting the longitudinal movement offthe rock shaft and the releaseof the clutch to allow the spring. to

throw the guard to it's inoperativeposition,

f lla-rd, said rock shaft being; capable of longitudinal m vement, a spring clutch for 'locking'the rock shaft to .hold' theguard in operative position, said rock shaft when ress d lon itudinally rele sing the clutch and alloi'vingthe spring-to throw the guard to inoperative position, a; finger leveron the rock shaft operating; the same, said fi ger levee; being-"adjacent the main handle of the machine, a finger lever with aconn'e'c'tien to the sharpener for moving the same tothe knife, sai'd' finger l ever operating also upon the rockpsh'artfto moveit longitudinally for t-herel'ea'se off it'slocki'n-g clutch and for themovement of the guard'to inoperative position; I V

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature" EMANUEL w. BonTMnN.

Copies of this patent may lie obtaindlm"flyecents eacli; by: addressing" the commissioner of Patents, Weishingc'dfiFJ-Ui 

